Thank you for taking time to visit, and I hope I am even a tiny bit helpful as I have been helped and blessed by so many others. I have been doing Calligraphy since teens, and card making for many years as well. In 1990 I delighted in the joys of stamping with ink and embossing after a trip to Cairns, Qld. In 2009 I discovered the brayer, 2010 the Cuttlebug, also have now taking to reading up on crafting blogs and lo! Here I am, on one of my own.

I live on the coast of eastern Australia. I am a Christian. I trusted in the LORD down here at the beach, amazingly it is not far from where I now live. It was over 40 years ago, after a Beach Mission Service at the age of 12 years

As well, it is rapidly heading towards Christmas! We celebrate ahead of lot of other folks, here in Australia in our time zone.

This card is an upcycle and I made it for my best friend Robin (just for record I have lots of best friends, my best Friend of all is Jesus :D), the verse is a favourite of mine for Christmas time .. "The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world".....the greatest gift of all was the LORD Jesus. (Robins are very cute and make me smile.)The EF was smooched with gold ink to make it stand out and added bit of ribbon and bling to it.

I love Christmas, I realise not everyone does, but even when I am sad Christmas things make me smile. Most of all for me as a Christian is the Christ of Christmas that makes me smile. We really dont know when Christ was born and to be honest it doesn't really matter (if it did, we would know).

The reason I love the verse above is because it gives the real reason of Christ's coming. He came to be our Saviour.

God, the Father, knows what it is to suffer loss, to be deeply sorrowful and afflicted, He suffered when he gave His own Son for us, that first Christmas. His Son, the Lord Jesus, gave up His heavenly home for a stable and human frame instead of His holy Home. We can't imagine what it was like for Him, the King of Glory, Who knew no sin, to be made sin for us... when He bore our sins upon the cruel cross.

Another upcycled card.

I love this card... it tells the story of Christmas, of the Nativity, foretold thousands of years before, and the cross which lay ahead. It tells of the ones who saw the star, the humble shepherds and wise-men who followed it from afar. It tells us of thehappiest thing that happened to the world, the Gift of Salvation through our SAVIOUR the LORD Jesus. (**and the twist for challenge below is that Christmas leads us to the cross)

This card shows those humble folk who came to see... see the Saviour sent by the Father. They were poor but honoured by God to be at Jesus' birth.But
God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise;
and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things
which are mighty;And
base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God
chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that
are:That no flesh should glory in his presence.I Corinthians 1:27-29

As it is Friday Smiles - extra smiles for you.

Loved this one as it is so true .. God is our greatest Friend, but our dear earthly friends bring a smile to our face too.

.. hope it brought some smiles to your face!

Happy Smiles day everyone!!

and may God richly bless your day wherever you maybe, and may the real reason of Christmas shine brightly in your home and heart.

Shaz in Oz.x

O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee to-night.

O morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth!
And praises sing to God the King,
And peace to men on earth.
For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above,
While mortals sleep the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love.

How silently, how silently,
The wondrous gift is given;
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His Heaven.No ear may hear His coming,But in this world of sin,Where meek souls will receive Him still,

The dear Christ enters in.

EDIT: A dear friend commenting below suggested this video was a good one for this time of year
- I agree with her.

Beautiful, beautiful words my dear friend and sister in Christ. May God bless you and yours and you have a wonderful Christmas remembering our Saviour. There is a video of a wonderful song on utube. The Ball Brothers, "It's About The Cross ". I think you would like it Shaz. I listen to it often and it's appropriate for this season.Blessings,Betys

What a lovely post Shaz! And thank you (and Betsy) for the Ball Brothers' song. It is beautiful and has made my day. I called the hubby and we listened to it again and then I shared it on Facebook so all my friends could hear it.Your cards are beautiful. I love the green one with the word cross. Very clever.Wishing you and your family a very blessed Christmas,Hugs,Lisca

Thanks for linking up your smiles and for your lovely comments. I feel so blessed to always be able to find something to smile about each week even when life throws its challenges at us....and we've had rather a lot lately. Focusing on the happy moments certainly helps.Wishing you a happy, peaceful Christmas and here's hoping we have lots of smiles to share in 2017.Hugs,Annie x

I'm delighted to share a Friday Smile with you. I hope you have a beautiful Christmas and a joyous New Year, too. I love the darling animals together. Let's hope humans can learn from their kindness, too.

I truly love this post. Love the recycled cards and how you added holly that matched on the first one. The digi about the wreath and the crown of thorns. That is special! But most of all I guess I love the words to my favorite Christmas carol. This as been my favorite for years and it seems that not many people sing it. The third verse has always meant so much to me. He comes silently and imparts to each of us His love. Thank you Shaz for such a beautiful post and such lovely cards. Hugs.

Just loving your beautiful cards - especially love the Robin on #1 with the elegant background. The Cross is an especially apt one for just now. The post was most inspired, and a pleasure to read. It's beyond imagining how Someone could sacrifice so much for the human race, and then to be rejected as so much of the world seems to be doing at the moment. But all is in His Control, and will be well. It is good to be reminded of just why we do celebrate this particular season (although we should celebrate at all times...it seems that at Christmas, we are more in the mindset to remember). Blessings back to you, as much is given, much is expected. Thanks for being such a Christian friend, and praying that you will have a very Merry Christmas with all that you need. Wishing too the best of 2017. Hugs

Oh, Shaz, what a beautiful and touching post! I love your cards, and how dear to see the two wreaths...the Christmas one celebrating Christ's birth...and the other His death on the cross...but as we remember He ROSE again defeating sin and death - for us! I loved the video and have seen it before and enjoyed it again. Love and hugs, dearest friend! xoxo

Hi Shaz. You were quick off the mark with your visit to me this week, (Thanks for that), and here am I, days later, just getting around to it. I love your robin. Although I like most of my cards to reflect the Christmas story, i still find robins popping up quite often. I like the way you often use a scripture text as the main feature with more secular elements around it. I am giving that a go for next year.I hope you had a happy and Blessed Christmas day, and continue to be joyful in His Love over the coming days. Kate x

Such a beautiful and very meaningful post. Wow! I loved the season and the reason, so, so very true.Christ came to be the Savior of the world.My husband and I were just talking this evening about how the world is changing, and not in a good way, and how sad it must be for God to look upon the sinfulness of it all, but, He loves us and wants all people to come to Him in salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. If not for love...

Your cards are so beautiful, as always.Thank you for that wonderful video.

It has been a joy following along with you and I'm looking forward to what the Lord has for the New Year.

Such a beautiful and very meaningful post. Wow! I loved the season and the reason, so, so very true.Christ came to be the Savior of the world.My husband and I were just talking this evening about how the world is changing, and not in a good way, and how sad it must be for God to look upon the sinfulness of it all, but, He loves us and wants all people to come to Him in salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. If not for love...

Your cards are so beautiful, as always.Thank you for that wonderful video.

It has been a joy following along with you and I'm looking forward to what the Lord has for the New Year.

Such a beautiful and very meaningful post. Wow! I loved the season and the reason, so, so very true.Christ came to be the Savior of the world.My husband and I were just talking this evening about how the world is changing, and not in a good way, and how sad it must be for God to look upon the sinfulness of it all, but, He loves us and wants all people to come to Him in salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. If not for love...

Your cards are so beautiful, as always.Thank you for that wonderful video.

It has been a joy following along with you and I'm looking forward to what the Lord has for the New Year.

Beautiful cards! Sorry for the late comment. I would like to invite you to link with us again for our first Challenge this year at Word Art Wednesday. Leaving you with the encouragement found in 1 John 4:18-19 which tells us, "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us." Have a blessed day!

Illuminated Calligraphy - Who or What is a Christian?

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Where I live.

My name is Shaz and I am a former schoolteacher. I have found, like many others, that crafts are very therapeutic in times of "un-wellness". I thought this blog was one way of recording these my crafty ideas for myself and others.You are welcome to use any tips gleaned as long as it done in a respectful way, and not direct transfer for any gain. I have appreciated the help from others' sites and hope I may in turn re-pay this kindness.

IO - Impression Obsessions die.LOTV - Lili Of The Valley productsNesties - Spellbinder NestabilitiesNBUS - Never Before Used Schtuff (aka Darnell of DJKardKreations)MFT - My Favorite ThingsPP - PanPastelsSandwich -Plates (A, B, or C), Rubber mat, or Shims used with Cuttlebug machine in order to cut and emboss or both.Shim - a piece of cardstock, size of Cuttlebug plate, used to get right thickness to pass the folders, die etc through the Cuttlebug.